Covid Isolation Hotel Nightmare

[Suppermumzy]

Stuck in this London Isolation Hotel...food is terrible...if you are lucky to go out for exercise you are hurriedly sent back in as there is always a list waiting to go out and use the outdoor space which can safely have 4 people in at a time..i will add photos of food. Cost for 11 days £2285.

I asked today "Would they stop me if I wanted to leave?" Answer No..but you will be reported as an absconder and may face a £10,000 fine....Surely this is not voluntary nor is it fair...who is monitoring this system..we seam to be a forgotten minority rotting away behind fences..

I am coming back from Africa to bury my 99 year old father who died 1/08....and I couldn't have not gone...I had to see him through....Surely this is not voluntary imprisonment as without the hotel booking reference you are not allowed on your flight at the departure airport...

AIBU to feel aggrieved by the system..when i left England the hotel fee was £1750...when I went to book it had gone up £500....NHS nurse looked after British public throughout the Pandemic but I feel that I am incapacitated to look after my own..including my young kids...

Here’s a comparison to quarantine in a Greek hotel. All food is also in disposable containers and no alcohol.
They seem similar but I guess without having to pay for the privilege it seems less grim.

Greek Quarantine

@redtshirt50

So much plastic in those meals as well...

Surely they could serve it in something more environmentally friendly.

And risk staff who gave to handle them catching COVID from the containers?

Whereas people who choose to fly to a country they have been told they should not fly to have very deliberately taken that action

Problem is, the list is also constantly changing. Coming back from a red country doesn't mean it was red when you left.

You can easily google other examples of unacceptable slob served in these "hotels" abusing the system.

Here, this could qualify as "English food". Can you agree that this look disgusting and totally unsuitable without being called racist?

I think we have slightly got off topic on the Indian food issue. The food looks awful. Were I imprisoned there I would try to use it for a 14 day almost fast and just try to bring some fresh stuff or tins of sardines with me - if that is allowed.

I am more interested in the legal issue - is locking people up like this really what we want in a free society? Would it not be better to have more covid 19 risks?

@Starjammer

Surely for £2000 per person there's technology that can be used to much better effect instead, if the real motivation is actually ensuring quarantine. In Dubai they have GPS wristbands that you wear at home for the isolation period.

Of course there are other options - countries have used ankle tag/GPS trackers, phone apps with facial recognition etc and as part of being allowed home you have to sign up to use these.

Of course that doesn't allow the government to divert tax payers money into large party donors who just happen to provide security "services" and hotel rooms.

Just like the much vaunted but godawful food parcels for the vulnerable and the dreadful school meals packs were just a way to give tax money to catering companies who entirely by coincidence were connected via their bank accounts to the current government.

See also the "government approved" cowboys providing covid tests for travellers.

But I wouldn’t have whinged about some bad Indian food I got forced to eat. When I would be allowed to get deliveroo every day

So you think its just fine for commercial companies to profiteer by providing appalling food and treatment to bereaved relatives? Because pretty much the only travelers I know over the past year are bereaved or about to be.

Also check your facts. Most of the people I know who have been in this situation have not been allowed to have deliveries in their prisons. Including food and drink.

But I guess we are all different

Based on your determinedly nasty posts, I think that is a very good thing.

[quote Suppermumzy]**@Excelthetube, @FlubberNutter...So yes I was desperate to get back home to the UK as UK is where my home is.....where I left 2 young children haven't seen them for a month....I also have a job I have to get back to and a life ..But I also had to go back to bury my Dad and make arrangements for the wellbeing of my very elderly mother who I have not seen since 2016..So as you can see it's hardly a pleasure flying first class...for 24 hours there and 24 hours back..sleeping rough while waiting for connecting flights in airports...[/quote]
Is this a specific diet you requested as this is crucial to the whole thread ? You didn't answer ...

[quote Excelthetube]@FlubberNutter
I would have done exactly the same too. Though I couldn’t have afforded 1st class.

But I wouldn’t have whinged about some bad Indian food I got forced to eat. When I would be allowed to get deliveroo every day.

I certainly would have more on my mind. But I guess we all deal with grief over loss of loved ones differently. I personally don’t know how anyone would have the energy to bother posting about my meal on mumsnet. I spent a lot of time on the grief/death board. Actually talking about my dead parent.

But I guess we are all different[/quote]
Comprehension isn't your strong point I guess. The OP said they weren't flying first class.

You say you wouldn't be complaining but here you are complaining that the OP dares to have an opinion.

@maxbabi

I really feel for you its a bloody joke at our expense. I bet the MP'S won't have to put up with that. Delta is already here I don't get the need for quarantine. Hasn't worked in oz or nz

You're very hard of thinking of you don't understand why quarantine isn't necessary.

Fewer than 30 people have died in NZ in total. They have had a relatively normal life for 18 months. I'd take that variety of 'not working' anytime over 130,000+ dead & many more with lifelong issues.

@isthisareverse

Whereas people who choose to fly to a country they have been told they should not fly to have very deliberately taken that action

Problem is, the list is also constantly changing. Coming back from a red country doesn't mean it was red when you left.

This. I am flying to India shortly to see my elderly mother and young adult DD who I have not seen in a year. It is currently on the amber list. Might be suddenly moved to the red list before I return, but I can't keep waiting for ever. Given rates in my hometown are lower than in my part of London, and we are all double vaxxed, I think it's a reasonable thing to do nearly 1.5 yrs into this hell.

I guess if I am quarantined unexpectedly I will be able to put up with the food:)

Vaccinated person in UK who has been in direct contact with a confirmed case of covid no longer has to isolate at all.

Vaccinated person arriving in the UK who has not been in direct contact with a case of covid has to pay £2k + forced imprisonment.

And people genuinely can't see the issue here?

Yes. My son had Covid last week ( negative now) and I didn't have to isolate from him. But I may have to isolate when returning from India if I am unlucky, even with two PCR's. It's very strange. I hope these things are worked out eventually. I suppose it is to do with variants, but then all the variants are everywhere.

@Sonarl

I would leave you know and let's see if they've got the balls to take an African nurse in the NHS to court for non-payment of the fine. I'm quite sure a brief amount of crowd funding would get it paid even if you did have to pay it. No one should be forced to eat that breakfast.

What does being African have to do with anything at all?! Or are you planning on shouting Racism???

@MareofBeasttown
How on Earth do you know all the variants are everywhere.
The government don’t want people to travel from red list countries. End of. They will do everything to discourage it and make it as painful and difficult for a reason. The reason being. They don’t fucking want you to travel from there. Because variants
It’s pretty simple

[quote PurpleVerbena]@MiddleClassProblem - no I don't eat pasta - absolutely hate it. Disgusting slimy rubbish. OK maybe I should have said 'English' people![/quote]
Pasta should NEVER be 'slimy' and it is not 'rubbish!' don't be so obnoxious! Pasta is good of the gods and my absolute favorite. It sounds like you've only ever been served over-cooked crappy pasta. Try some decent stuff that's been cooked properly with salt in the water!! With a decent sauce. Bliss

Delta is here already and so is Lambda, according to many news reports. The govt don't want people to go on holiday or go to nightclubs either. But people are, because it is allowed.

Excelthetube

@Suppermumzy
Oh get over yourself.
I’m sorry your dad died. On that part I have huge sympathy and I know what pain and trauma it is. But the rest. Honestly.

I’ve reported this post

I think it’s just awful
Do people really say to the bereaved
Oh get over yourself?

FIL and his partner just went through the same thing. His partner owns a business in SA so she’s required to work there for a certain amount of time every year. They left just before Christmas and SA was placed on a ‘red list’ a couple of weeks later. They were only supposed to stay for 3 months but ended up being there 7, they were hoping it would be removed from the red list in that time or that rules would change since they had both of their vaccines over there but nope so they just had to deal with it. Cost them 2k I think and they said it was like prison. The food was horrible, they were only allowed outside in a small yard for 20 minutes a day and FIL’s partner basically had a mental breakdown. They just couldn’t fathom why they had to stay in a hotel when they’d both been vaccinated, both also tested negative before and after their plane journey as well. They also said they were crammed onto a bus between the airport and hotel with lots of others from red list countries which just didn’t make sense.

Someone is making a lot of money from this nonsense.

I’ve heard people say about being crammed on those buses

Ludicrous nonsense

It's completely unnecessary and I'm FURIOUS on your behalf

You're double vaccinated? Why the hell can't they test and release you?

Because you're not a politician

If you abscond I will contribute £20 to your go fund me account if you get fined

It's just WRONG WRONG WRONG

That is disgusting having to pay so much to quarantine, and being given inferior unhealthy food. These hotels are really taking the mick. So sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry for your loss OP, and the way you're being treated is frankly disgusting.

Where I live red list arrivals isolate at home for 10 days with unannounced checks by phone and in person. Does everyone adhere to that? Probably not, but nor does every red list arrival have covid! The risks are minimal and staying at home is a much more humane method of quarantine than yours. Hoping the time passes quickly for you x

Poor you. Looks really horrible and doesn’t seem fair in terms of other rules that are far more lenient and in terms of the costs.

Honestly this is awful
I found this petition online I would encourage people to sign if I am sick of this government playing god

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/588072